I'm in the process of getting a design drawn up for a new house in an existing side garden. The Architect came back with some sketches and there is just one aspect that is particularly bothering me. I'm looking for some advice to see what others think:

The site is adjacent to a main road, so facing the front of the proposed building, to the right there is a 6 foot concrete council wall fronted by an 8 foot wooden sound barrier. The right side of the house is going to be only 800mm from this wall. This side of the proposed house will have two 1st floor bedrooms separated by a bathroom. Each of these three spaces have windows facing out onto the main road. The bedrooms also have a front or rear facing window in addition.

The issue is at the weekend, this particular stretch of road is used by passers by on the far side heading home from the local nightclub. The Bus shelter opposite has been vandalized several times and now has plastic & metal inserts instead of glass (!). While the proposed windows are triple glazed if I was away for a weekend I don't want to come back and find the windows were used for target practice. Also it would be easy to climb on the wall and spray paint away. Building something so close to the road I think invites attack at some point....and I'm trying to minimize the temptation!

What do people think? Should I look at removing the two road facing bedroom windows and just widen the front and rear ones, do I leave the bathroom window as is or narrow it? I'd prefer to have NO windows on this side of the house but the Bathroom will end up without a window.

There are two or three other newish houses built at other points on the road but these have more space between them and the council wall (over 3 meters) and most have opted for a single bathroom 1st floor window only. It would take a good throw to hit them....

I think in a situation where that sort of vandalism is possible, I would want to avoid any windows at all on that wall. Without seeing a layout I don't know if that's possible. I would also be tempted to go for a render finish rather than something like plain facing bricks, so if someoen did get busy with the spray can, you can just re paint the wall. It would be much harder to clean grafiti off a brick finish.

I'd feel better presenting no windows on that side too and that's good advice about the finish. I'll have to ask the Architect about posting the sketches as I don't want to get into trouble! Appreciated the swift response!

We have two bathrooms and neither as a window. It was pretty much forced on the design as the planners wouldn't allow windows on that elevation, because of a potential overlooking problem, and it concerned me a little at first. We then went away on holiday and had a hotel room where the pretty large bathroom had no window. We found that to be fine, so decided that we'd be happy without bathroom windows. I have to saying that not having a bathroom window gives a great deal more flexibility when it comes to layout, and it significantly reduces heat loss and a notorious condensation spot, so in many ways it's a benefit.

That was the one window I thought I'd have to have! And you're right, it provides more choices re: layout.

As for the Mural, we've a few local artists who have applied themselves already to a few estate walls free of charge!! I wonder if that anti paint stuff is any good or I could rent advertising space?!!

Choose magnolia as the colour for render and keep a few tubs of it handy.

Bathrooms without windows are fine. If you want some natural light, fit a solar tube or similar light pipe to bring light down from a small roof aperture. We have that on the landing of our presnt house and it works very well indeed.

Apart from anything else, havng no windows facing the road will make it quieter.

That was the one window I thought I'd have to have! And you're right, it provides more choices re: layout.

As for the Mural, we've a few local artists who have applied themselves already to a few estate walls free of charge!! I wonder if that anti paint stuff is any good or I could rent advertising space?!!

Cheers
Mike

If it is a blank wall advertising space / hoardings is an excellent idea, and brings in a lot of money.